John Young represents the second generation that has no-tilled the family’s Herndon, Ky. farm for 60 years. The birthplace of no-till on a commercial farming scale, the family no-tills corn, wheat and both full-season and double-cropped soybeans in a large acreage operation.

10 Dos & Don'ts for Neighbors Who Struggle to Share the Road with Combines

By John Young posted on July 7, 2023

Kentucky no-tiller John Young shares his dos and don’ts for non-farmer drivers during harvest season.

Your No-Till History

No-Till Is the Best Chance We Have to Feed the Next Generations

John Young, son of first commercial U.S. no-tiller Harry Young, evaluates no-till’s past, present & future.

By John Young and Julienne Isaacs posted on April 2, 2023

Sixty years ago, my dad was the originator of no-till on the farm in a little field just south of Herndon, Ky. The No-Till History series is made possible by Calmer Corn Heads.

Personal Memories of No-Till’s First Field (1962)

By John Young posted on September 15, 2022

My father, Harry Young Jr., wasn’t a shy fellow. If he was going to do something, he’d do it out in the open and let the chips fall where they may. The No-Till History series is made possible by Calmer Corn Heads.

Skunk Diary

The Gift That Keeps on Giving, Even for Innovative No-Tillers

By John Young posted on April 26, 2022

One late spring evening just before no-till corn planting got underway, my wife, Beth, heard a scratching sound under our house. Since her ears (and eyes and nose) are more sensitive than mine, I should have paid more attention.

A Horse, Two Vaqueros, and an Amish Mother Collide ...

By John Young posted on March 7, 2022 | Posted in Equipment

The horse and buggy were pushed against a tree with our pickup truck. A farm worker was holding the horse by its bridle, talking to it, trying to calm it. A small, ankle-biter-sized dog was jumping around happily. To all appearances, our truck had run the horse off the road, wrecked the buggy and injured the young mother. It was not a pretty sight.

What I've Learned from No-Tilling

Stewarding The Birthplace Of No-Till

Sharing and learning are still cornerstones for the Young family, who planted the first commercial no-till field in southern Kentucky 50 years ago.

By John Young and Martha Mintz posted on November 1, 2011 | Posted in Seeding & Planting, Crop Protection, Water Management

My father, Harry Young, wasn’t a shy fellow. If he was going to do something, he’d do it out in the open and let the chips fall where they may. The No-Till History series is made possible by Calmer Corn Heads.

Current Issue

No-Till Farmer

Get full access NOW to the most comprehensive, powerful and easy-to-use online resource for no-tillage practices. Just one good idea will pay for your subscription hundreds of times over.

Subscribe Now

Videos

Building the Foundation of a Successful No-Till Operation

No-Till Innovator Adam Daugherty checks in from Coffee County, Tenn., with a preview of the 2025 National No-Tillage Conference (NNTC). The former NNTC Presenter of the Year, farmer and NRCS district conservation official will be leading a classroom presentation, “Don’t Start Planting Cover Crops Until…”.

Top Directory Listings

Needham Ag Technologies, LLC

Needham Ag understands the role of technology in making better use of limited resources within a specific environment by drawing on a wealth of global experience to overcome the challenges facing today's farmers, manufacturers and dealers.

Titan International, Inc

Titan offers a full line of wheels, tires and undercarriage products for a wide variety of off-the-road equipment.

The Andersons PureGrade

The Andersons grows enduring relationships through extraordinary service, a deep knowledge of the market, and a knack for finding new ways to add value as we have done for nearly 70 years.

John Young

ARTICLES